Weight Management Strategy

There are many factors that contribute to a person's weight: Diet, physical
activity, genetics, environmental factors, medications and illnesses. Each
of these factors affect weight in different ways and to varying degrees, but
health professionals most often stress the importance of diet and physical
activity above all other factors because they can be affected by conscious
behaviour modification.
Exercise is an important element of weight maintenance as it increases energy
used and builds lean muscle raising our metabolic rate. However, total physical
activity accounts for only about 15‒30% of daily energy expenditure and it is
unrealistic to expect significant weight loss through increasing activity levels
alone. Our food intake accounts for 100% of our energy, hence total food
restriction, switching to nutrient-rich foods and blood sugar management (i.e.,
increasing fibre, avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugary drinks and alcohol)
is the most successful weight loss management strategy.

Foods to include
 3 meals and 2 snacks daily.
 Protein at each meal and snack.
 At least 6 glasses of water spread throughout the day.
 Oily fish 2‒3 times a week.
 Healthy fats at lunch and dinner.
 Whole foods: Beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
 Low GL carbohydrates.
 At least 6 servings of vegetables and 2‒3 portions of fruit daily.
 Flavour food with herbs, spices, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, lemon
juice and lime juice.

Food to avoid / limit

 Sugary foods and drinks.
 Refined, processed foods especially snack foods.
 Ready meals.
 Grains especially white refined grains and cereals. Limit
wholegrains to 2‒3 portions a day.
 Alcohol.
 Foods high in saturated fat, hydrogenated and trans fats.
 Limit yourself to 1 coffee or 2 cups regular tea daily.
 Limit red meat to 1‒2 times a week.
Weight Management Meal Planner
PROTEIN CARBOHYDRATE HEALTHY FATS FRUIT NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES
1 serve at each main meal 2 serves per day *All weights are 2 serves per day 2-3 serve per day 7 handfuls per day
*All weights are for uncooked food for cooked food

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125 g chicken 1 medium slice of wholemeal bread 5 almonds 1 medium apple Artichokes
125 g turkey 1 small wholemeal pitta 2 brazil nuts 2 apricots Asparagus
125 g turkey mince 1 small wholemeal roll 10 cashews 2 clementines Aubergine
125 g 5% fat beef mince 1 thin slice of German style ryebread 10 hazelnuts 150 g blackberries Beansprouts
125 g extra lean beef stir fry strips 1 slice of Biona millet bread 15 pistachios 100 g blueberries Broccoli
100 g extra lean lamb leg meat 1 medium wholemeal flour tortilla 3 walnut halves 150 g cherries Brussel sprouts
125 g lean pork tenderloin 3 Ryvita 1 kiwi Cabbage
1 tbsp of seeds
125 g skinless duck 3 oatcakes 1 mandarin Cauliflower
125 g serving of venison 3 brown rice cakes 2 tsp of flax, hemp 150 g melon Celery
2 taco shells or olive oil (e.g., if 1 nectarine Chilli
1 medium white fish fillet
using to cook) 1 medium orange Courgette
1 small plaice or sole 100 g quinoa
1 peach Cucumber
1 medium fillet of smoked haddock 100 g buckwheat 2 tsp of nut or
1 medium pear Fennel
100 g salmon fillet or tinned 100 g millet seed butter
2 plums French beans
140 g can of tuna 100 g brown rice
50 g avocado 150 g raspberries Green beans
1 small tin of mackerel in tomato 100 g wholemeal/brown rice pasta
2 satsumas Kale
sauce 100 g serving of noodles 20 g cheese
150 g strawberries Leek
1 small tin of sardines in tomato
200 g small jacket potato 2 tsp of pesto 2 tangerines Lettuce
sauce
150 g sweet potato Mangetout
150 g tuna or swordfish steak
200 g new potatoes Marrow
120 g trout fillet
100 g carrots Mushrooms
150 g prawns 100 g parsnip Mustard cress
150 g mussel meat Okra
100 g chickpeas
100 g scallops Onion
100 g beans
Pepper
100 g chickpeas 100 g lentils
Radish
100 g beans
Rocket
100 g lentils
Runner beans
1 nut or bean burger
Spinach
2 eggs Spring onions
150 g quark Sugar snap peas
150 g low fat cottage cheese Tomatoes
Water chestnuts
75 g hummus
Watercress
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